“Walking Joyfully with God”
Part 2
“Giving” Joy away the right way brings HOPE.
We can turn potentially Joy-robbing experiences into blessings.
“Giving Joy Away” can mean
1. Giving your joy away to the point
that you don’t have it anymore.
That is bad (depletes HOPE)
2. Sharing your joy, or bringing joy to others.
That is good (Creates/Sustains HOPE)
Keys to Properly “Giving Away”
or “Sharing” joy
1. Understand that JOY is not the same thing as happiness.
Joy is the acknowledgement
that God is working.
“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”
HOPE
-Nehemiah 8:10
[Video about "Hope Street"]
2. Retain Joy in your own life.
HOPE
Hard work!
Cultivate it
Water it
Tend to it
Weed out “weeds”
“A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
-Proverbs 17:22
HOPE
An UNcheerful heart must then be BAD medicine, harmful like Poison.
It is true that Grief can diminish joy, but it also true that Grief can
turn into Joy.
“Grief” – Sadness that things are no longer the same.
20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn …You will grieve, BUT your GRIEF will turn to JOY… 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, BUT I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.
BUT take heart! I have overcome the world.”
-John 16:20,22,33
HOPE
“I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths… I called
to you for help… 4 Sing the praises of the Lord… weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
-Psalm 30:1-5
“Rejoice with those who rejoice;
mourn with those who mourn.”
-Romans 12:15
HOPE
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”
HOPE
-1 Thessalonians 4:13,14
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
-Psalm 51:10-12
“I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.”
-2 John 1:12
HOPE REALIZED
“I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers… 6 I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement,
HOPE
because you…have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.”
-Philemon 1:4-7
Thank God for his blessings
In & Through us
“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand,
I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me… you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
-Psalm 16:9-10
Our Prayer
“May all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for
your saving help always say,
‘The Lord is great!’”
-Psalm 40:16
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